GARY A. LEAKE WOODWORKING
News and Announcements – not quite a daily blog, but more current than I have ever updated the website!
	12/23/09: What a month we’ve experienced!! Between receptions at various art galleries (Cole Gallery , Penn Cove Gallery , Scott Milo Gallery , Pacific Northwest Art School Holiday Exhibition) and completion of commissioned pieces (see “Cherry Curves” to the left and thanks to John and Michele) and antique restoration projects prior to Christmas, we have been both blessed and very busy. In addition, I am working on a series of four very special tables that utilize rare ziricote highlighting its lovely shades of browns. For chocolate lovers, these beautiful browns include very dark, dark, milk, blond and Cadbury chocolates. The first two of these tables are in the finishing stages (see “Dark Beauty” to the left). Sandy and I have begun to plan next year’s show schedule and corresponding wood art pieces. I will update the ‘Shows and Events’ section of our website soon.
	11/15/09: What a week!! Last night, we attended the opening gala of the Brackenwood Gallery of Fine Art in Langley. The new owners have done a great job in a short time and the show is truly worth the visit! Drop by to see for yourself. At left: one of my new pieces (“Walnut Ripple”) displayed at the Gallery. Two nights prior, Sandy and I attended the Whidbey Island Preservation Art exhibit where one of my new tables (“Whidbey Wild” Bigleaf Maple Table) received an Honorable Mention – “Very clever use of the materials”!! Visit the Pacific Northwest Art School website for upcoming classes and events.
	11/14/09: It has been a while since the website has been updated because we have been so busy creating new pieces for galleries, commissioned works and restoration. Latest commissioned works include a petite but wild cherry table (“Cherry Swirl” shown at left), a large and really wild cluster-birdseye cherry table. We have also begun discussions related to a small table for the remodeled Coupeville Library. A number of my new wood art pieces have been added to the website’s Wood Art Portfolio.
	8/29/09: The buzz about Woodpalooza is building! I have just finished the “Whirls and Swirls” hall table that matches the “Chair with a Flare” that I had completed earlier (so that it could be shown on the Show’s postcard). I hope to see lots of you at the Show.
	8/1/09: Last night’s Reception at the Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival was a blast. It was great to see many friends, fellow artists and so many red dots (sold pieces)! I entered two tables (“Adrift” {upper left image} and “Walnut Fantasy” {lower left image}) and was very pleasantly surprised to discover that “Adrift” was awarded 1^st place for 3-D art in the juried show! And then to top the eve off, “Adrift” was purchased by one of our recent restoration clients. Thank you Kathleen!!
	6/25/09: I have just purchased a couple of wonderful slabs: Oregon black walnut and the others American black walnut. The former has already stirred my woodworking-art imagination. It is well on its way to becoming an absolutely gorgeous corner table!!
	6/4/09: What a couple of busy days… Yesterday we learned that one of my favorite cherry tables, “Cherry Challenge" sold at the Wood Merchant, La Conner. Today Sandy and I installed a 22-inch by 10-foot by 2-inch thick countertop fashioned from a single slab of stunning sapele into it’s new home! Our shop is temporarily a bit empty, but it will soon be humming with work for the upcoming ‘Woodpalooza’ and other shows.
	5/30/09: What a surprise! This week I received an unexpected and very nice surprise in the form of a card thanking Sandy and I for a custom butternut/walnut benchseat that was recently delivered to a wonderful local client. Mary wrote, “I appreciate the harmony between the bark texture and the striped legs and the perfect way the natural curves work together. It is a masterpiece!” Although we often receive compliments, rarely are they put to paper – and on such a lovely card. Mary is a pleasure to work with. Thank you Mary!!
	4/14/09: It finally arrived! I just received a copy of ‘500 Tables’, Lark Books’ latest book in their 500 series. ‘Nature’s Rhythm’ appears on page 132 in all of its glory! Not only was my table selected from many thousands submitted, but fellow Whidbey Island woodworker Bruce Schwager also had his madrone burl table chosen. I am working on a couple of tables along the same design lines as ‘Nature’s Rhythm’; one from tiger maple and another dark walnut one…
	2/25/09: A great week so far – I have just put the finishing touches on one of the most beautifully figured maple burl hall tables that I have had the pleasure of crafting (actually I just let the character of the wood show and restrained from messing up what nature created). I plan to enter this table in the 46^th Annual Historic Coupeville Arts and Crafts Festival juried art show.
	2/20/09: I received an interesting phone call today. Someone wanted to know if I repaired move damage of ‘regular furniture’ as opposed to true antiques. After all, their furniture (Thos. Moser!!) was only 25 years old. I had to chuckle a bit, but naturally the answer is ‘yes’. Sometimes the only difference between quality modern furniture and antiques is time… Perhaps I should change the business name to ‘Whidbey Furniture Repair’?
	2/19/09: I’m on my way to an art gallery with the newest wood-art creation: a very small display table crafted from zebrawood and black walnut. All of the galleries that display my work are wonderfully supportive and I consider myself honored to continue creating pieces for them to show. I am occasionally asked why I don’t sell directly to the art-buying public. I consider art galleries to be my marketing partners and want them to succeed in doing what they do best. Art galleries earn and deserve every bit of the commission that they receive! We may not need art to live, but it sure does brighten the journey. So visit an art gallery today…
	2/14/09: Every year we experience a ‘holiday bump’ in the restoration-side of our business. This past year was no different with lots of Whidbey Island furniture needing repair and restoration! Of the more notable projects: an old teak deck lounge chair from the Queen Mary (“1^st Class Only”); two very old (200 years plus) dressers with a bit too much wear and not enough love over the years; an old English elm plank from an old English pub to be converted into a stunning wood-art hall table; emergency water-damage remediation; and finally a bunch of move damage (military and other too) with some unfortunately appearing to be intentional damage caused to spite the owners!!
	12/6/08: Tonight Sandy and I dusted off the wood shavings and donned our natty gold/purple Lions Club vests to participate in Coupeville’s Christmas Parade. We were blessed with large crowds of kids of all ages (<1 year to 90+) and no wind and only a bit of rain. For those many who braved the elements, thank you. Afterwards, the Penn Cove Gallery had good crowds and appreciators of the arts! Sales were really good!! But why was the Boat Parade almost an hour early? It was there and gone before the tree lighting in the town park…
	12/6/08: Great news! I am honored to announce that a number of my wood art pieces have been accepted at the Cole Gallery in Edmonds, WA. Imagine contemporary wood art placed with stunning impressionist paintings… I’m honored to have my work placed next a number of very talented artists including Joshua Flint’s exquisite works!!
	12/5/08: The Anacortes Art Walk was fabulous! Fortunately the weather mild with no wind/rain. I have never attended a fall evening event that had so many happy people enjoying themselves while appreciating art. Thanks to Kathy Sherman and her able staff at Scott Milo for hosting and sharing the tasty treats (the hot cider was to die for!). And I had a red dot on ‘Dark Wave’ too. Thank you Daphne!!
	12/3/08: Last week’s great news: ‘Nature’s Rhythm’ has been selected for publication in Lark Books latest book in their 500 series, ‘500 Tables’. The good news is that the table was selected from many thousands submitted; the better news is that the Wood Merchant matched someone with the table. It now has a new home! And they bought a desk and chair too!!